Justice Department Awards $118 Million to Enhance, Support Tribal Justice and Safety

Streamlined Grant Program Offers Financial Assistance with Indian Tribes’ Prevention and Law Enforcement Efforts, Victim Services and Youth Programs

IGNACIO, Colo.– The Department of Justice today announced grants to nearly 150 American Indian and Alaskan Native nations providing $118.4 million to enhance law enforcement practices, and sustain crime prevention and intervention efforts in eight purpose areas: public safety and community policing; methamphetamine enforcement; justice systems and alcohol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; violence against women; elder abuse; juvenile justice; and tribal youth programs.

The awards are made under the department’s Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), a single application for tribal-specific grant programs.

Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli announced this funding during the department’s 19th annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Ignacio, Colo., to an audience of nearly 300 attendees of tribal and federal law enforcement, prosecutors, judges and advocates in the fields of safety and justice. Associate Attorney General Perrelli spoke about the Justice Department’s commitment to enhancing public safety in Indian Country and the importance of a streamlined grant application process for federal funding.

“I am pleased today to announce the Justice Department’s continued investment in programs that offer innovative and comprehensive approaches to public safety and justice in Indian Country,” said Associate Attorney General Perrelli. “Our government-to-government consultations have been critical to our understanding of how to better serve and support our tribal partners. By deepening our engagement with tribal governments, we have sought to help put an end to the unacceptable and sobering crime rates witnessed in Indian Country.”

The department developed CTAS and administered the first round of consolidated grants in September 2010 in response to shared views of tribal leaders that the department’s grant-making process was too cumbersome and needed increased flexibility. Today, tribes seeking funding for more than one purpose area can submit a single grant application, instead of multiple applications.

The grants are administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing, Office of Justice Programs and the Office on Violence Against Women. The complete list of the fiscal year 2011 CTAS grantees, a CTAS fact sheet and other information about the consolidated solicitation is also available at www.justice.gov/tribal .

Soon after he came into office, Attorney General Eric Holder identified building and sustaining safe and secure tribal nations as one of the Department of Justice’s top priorities. In June of 2009, the department launched a wide-ranging initiative to strengthen public safety in Indian Country. Since that time, the department has taken a number of steps to deepen its commitment to Indian nations and to develop more effective partnership with tribal leaders, police, prosecutors, courts and advocates to address and combat crime.